Three Legacies
by Heart of PureSilver
Summary: Sequel to Three Promises. One simple action was all it took to change the shinobi world forever. The legacies of three of the greatest shinobi in history experience firsthand exactly how much that one action had on their world. After all, their world doesn't even exist anymore. Neither do they. HashiMada and IzuTobi Mpreg OC children. Don't like, don't read.
1. Prologue

A staunch gait and an expressionless face.

She was the deadly nightshade that innocently beckoned fools to her fruit. Quick like a poison, she would strike and her opponents would fall one by one. She had mastered many skills despite her age, yet still had much to learn because of her youth. She wore a collared blue tank top in honor of the traditional style of her clan. She wore shorts that reached just above her knees and the standard shinobi sandals. A katana was strapped horizontally to her waist. The symbol of her village gleamed brilliantly upon the hitai-ate that was wrapped in her hair, accenting the beauty of her face.

She walked up to the Hokage, kneeling down and bowing her head in respect. Hashirama smiled at her, walking up to the woman. He placed his hand on her head, lightheartedly ruffling it up. She glared at him through the bangs that had fallen into her face.

"With all due respect, Hokgae-sama, please refrain from doing that. I am not a child anymore."

"I know…" Hashirama responded, pride and love shining in his eyes. "But I can't help it! You've grown into a fine shinobi and an even finer woman. As such, with great pleasure, I now officially pronounce you a jounin. Congratulations!"

She bowed her head once again. "It is my duty and honor to serve as a Leaf shinobi and to serve under you, Hokage-sama."

Hashirama laughed. "Whatever happened to calling me 'Daddy' like you used to, Izumi?"

Izumi blushed. "It's improper! You may be my dad, but you're still the Hokage. I deserve no leniency simply because I'm your daughter. I earned my right to become the next head of the Uchiha Clan and I have worked hard to reach this designation. I will address you with respect like I should."

"So professional…" Hashirama muttered. "You're just like your mother."

Izumi smirked. "So I've heard."

"Just get your butt over here and give your Dad a hug!"

"But—"

"No 'buts' other than the one that needs to move itself over here! Hokage's orders."

Izumi blushed briefly before smiling brightly at him. She launched herself at him, laughing joyfully as Hashirama caught her in a flying hug. He twirled her around a bit before setting her down. She increased her grip on his neck, feeling incredibly happy and blessed to have such a wonderful person as her dad and as Hokage. She pulled away from him, blinking when she noticed Hashirama crying comical tears steams.

"You've grown up too fast!" he moaned. "I miss that little girl who used to braid Madara's hair while he was sleeping because she knew she was the only one who could get away with doing it!"

"I still am. I'm just…more responsible now."

"I know. That's why I want to give you a gift for your new promotion."

"Really? What?"

Hashirama went to the cord around his neck, removing the crystal necklace he had gotten so many years ago. He went up to Izumi, placing it around her neck. She held up the gem, staring at its beauty in awe.

"Your mother gave me that gift years ago, about a month before you were born. It's a special reminder of all the things I have been blessed with these past several years. I know there will be times when you will have to choose between your duty and your ideals. I want you to have it so you never forget what truly matters to you."

"Thank you…Daddy."

"I'm so proud!" he yelled, slamming his hands on both Izumi's shoulders. "You should tell your brothers the news!"

"They're going to flip," Izumi stated. "Do I have to?"

"Yes. They do look up to you despite their…immature behavior."

"Only for you, Daddy."

With a quick bow, she turned toward the door and rushed out of the room. Hashirama sighed, now thinking about his sons. He could just imagine their excited reactions as he began to put away all his work in his office. They would be ecstatic. It called for a huge celebration and his mouth began to water at the thought of what would be made for dinner that night. He didn't know how Madara did it, but his culinary expertise was beyond amazing. He supposed it was just another skill the Uchiha could laud in the faces of their Senju rivals.

He still had trouble believing how well their two clans had been getting along. Thanks to Madara's help, he was able to give the Uchiha a fair say in Konoha's politics. By Tobirama's suggestion, a police force was comprised of both Senju and Uchiha in an effort to keep the peace within the village walls. The Shinobi Academy was now accepting girls who desired to become respectable kunoichi. Lots of other clans had been interacting with one another, the children in particular. The Ino-Shika-Cho team composition had been born from this interaction, providing a basis for good balance and teamwork with people who were vastly different from one another.

He smiled when he spotted the familiar wood structure that was their family home. He nearly skipped through the front door, knowing who he'd see inside. He thrust his head around the corner of the entryway leading to the kitchen. He grinned.

"I'm back!"

"Like I couldn't tell," was Madara's wry response. "How did she take it?"

"Exactly how you would've taken it," Hashirama said, walking up to Madara and watching the Uchiha cut up red peppers. "So what's the surprise?"

"Hashirama, you just want to mooch off the food before it's even out. Don't think I don't know exactly what you're trying to do. I've known you long enough to know that."

"I can't help it! Your food is the best! Even the specialty restaurants pale in comparison to it!"

"How about you help rather than just standing there and doing nothing?"

Hashirama chuckled, taking a knife and some vegetables. "Alright, Mama Mada."

"I have a six inch knife here, Hashirama. Don't make me use it on you."

"Right…" Hashirama gulped, not wanting to incur his husband's wrath. "Well, she was happy, but didn't expressively show it."

"Good. That's the proper reaction a shinobi should have."

"Man, time flies. I remember when she was just a newborn. Now she's sixteen, a jounin, and she's mastered her Sharingan and all the Uchiha Fire Style techniques. And the boys too…"

"Chunin with fully awakened and matured Sharingan as well. I know," Madara replied, giving Hashirama a whimsical smirk. "Stop being so nostalgic."

"Now who's the one lying? You feel the same way, Madara."

"True. But despite everything that has happened…I'm glad they've had the opportunity to actually be children."

"We never had that chance. We were forced into battle before we were ready. That's another thing to be thankful for."

"I'd rather die than let them experience the pain of war. I'm going to keep it that way as long as I'm able to."

"Relax. We've managed to keep the peace so far. What could possibly go wrong?"

* * *

"I have HAD it with you!"

Palms slammed down on the table, shaking it enough that glasses toppled to the ground. She felt her heart beating and her form shaking. She held the stuffed bunny close to her chest, burying her face into the soft blueish-white fur. She peeked through the small crack between her arm and the rabbit, feeling the urge to keep watching despite her fear.

Kazuki crossed his arms, glaring heatedly at his mother. "I am entirely sick of your stupid attitude!"

Tobirama stared down his son, his eyes narrowing dangerously. His scowl was not as fierce as it could be whenever he got angry, but it was still a frightening sight to see for the kids. Kazuki did not back down from this look.

"See!? You're doing it now!" he shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Tobirama. "You're babying me again!"

"Kazuki, you're still young. You may be skillful, but you're letting your pride cloud you to the truth. You have limits."

"How am I supposed to overcome those limits if you never even let me try!?" Kazuki yelled. "You never let me do anything I'm more than ready for!"

"Because you _aren't_ ready for them."

"I'm not some fragile doll that'll crack at the slightest breeze! I'm ten years old and well-around chunin level in terms of skill, but you're still coddling me like I'm two!"

"Don't take that tone of voice with me," Tobirama snapped, a spark of fury igniting in his eyes. "As long as you live under this house, you abide by my rules."

"Papa lets me try. Why can't you?"

"Your father has nothing to do with this. This is about you, Kazuki. You're behaving like a spoiled brat. How can you expect me to treat you as a respectable shinobi when you act like this when you don't get your way?"

"I'd rather be a brat that can try and improve himself than have you holding me back!"

She gasped quietly at the words. She brought her head out of the bunny's fur, paying full attention now. She saw the startled look on her mother's face and the triumphant sneer on Kazuki's. Kazuki's glare was filled with spite and hatred as he leapt off the chair he had been standing on in an effort to be taller than their mother (which he had failed miserably at). Kazuki crossed his arms, his back facing their mother.

"I hate you. You have been nothing but a liability. Do me a favor and just stay out of my life. You can die in a ditch in the middle of nowhere for all I care. In fact, I'll be happy! Then I won't have to worry about useless garbage dragging me down and telling me what I can't do!"

Yuko winced when Kazuki slammed the front door. She timidly looked over to her mother, seeing him slumping into a chair and placing a hand over his face. He was upset, exasperated, and remorseful. She knew her mother loved Kazuki dearly. It was because he loved him that he was so protective of him. He was scared he would lose Kazuki in some horrible manner and he would not be able prevent it from happening. She had never asked why her mother always had this look in his eyes. She could only guess something really bad had happened to her nii-chan when he was a baby.

Holding her best friend Usa-chan, a cherished gift her mother had given to her when she was a baby, she quietly went over to one of the windows and looked outside. She had to talk to her brother. There was no way Kazuki had meant the things he said. He was angry and people always said things they didn't mean when they were angry. She had to get Kazuki and Mama to apologize to one another. Why couldn't Kazuki see how much he had hurt Mama? Why didn't he understand the reasons why their mother was so reluctant to let him try dangerously stupid techniques?

It pained her to see her Mama so hurt. She hated it when he and Kazuki would get into arguments, which seemed to be occurring more often lately. Although, they never ended up like this and it scared Yuko.

The young girl shook her head. No, she couldn't be scared now! Not when her Mama was hurt and Papa wasn't here to help! Papa always said that she had a way with words so maybe she could get her nii-chan to stop being mad! Determination gleamed in little Yuko Uchiha-Senju's eyes and, sneaking past her distraught mommy, the white-haired four-year-old raced after her enraged brother.

* * *

Finding her younger brothers at a dango shop in the middle of the village, Izumi sat across from them and proceeded to tell them the good news.

Their reactions were as expected.

"Congratulations, Nee-Nee!" Akio bellowed, tackling his beloved sister in a flying hug, a wide smile he inherited from his father spreading across his face. Ryo, ever the spitting image of his mother sans his father's brown hair, gave his sister a rough smile, his charcoal eyes alight with admiration and pride.

"Conrgats, Zumi-nee," Ryo offhandedly added. "Now Saru has an excuse to take you out on a date."

"R-RYO!" Izumi blurted out, a fierce blush staining her face. "I told you before that I do not like Hiruzen in that way!"

"The blush on your face says otherwise."

She groaned, hiding the blush on her face with her hands. The twins both laughed at the reaction. She could hide it all she wanted, but they would always find a way to tease her about it. It was true she had a crush on her friend, but that's all it was; a crush. Hiruzen was a strong and loyal shinobi and an even greater friend. She assumed it was her inner child's admiration of him that made her feel flustered whenever he was mentioned.

"Well, if Saru doesn't do it, you know for sure that Kagami will."

Izumi groaned again, this time out of annoyance. She always had to be careful with her words around Kagami. He was a great guy and a close friend, just like Hiruzen was. However, he would not take the hint that she was not interested in having a boyfriend at this point in time. Maybe once she was a little older and more mature to make that choice she would say yes. But for now, she just wanted things to remain stable enough that he wouldn't be drooling and fawning over her every waking minute of the day. He was sensible enough to not do that, but she had to wonder about the pubescent boys she _had_ seen.

At least Danzo was respectable enough to give her space. He was quiet, thoughtful, and a bit hotheaded at times, but he had good intentions. At least he knew when to act like a man and when to act like a stupid idiot. He still had that annoying rivalry with Hiruzen and it had only gotten worse as the two got older. She had no idea what Danzo was trying to prove whenever he competed with Hiruzen. His subsequent defeats seemed to be even worse for him to handle now more than ever. She could only try to console him after those losses and he seemed to take her word better than most. It helped that they were teammates for so long and she knew how stubbornly proud he was; proud, just like her mother was.

She haphazardly wondered if Danzo was competing with Hiruzen at that moment.

She blinked when she spotted Kazuki angrily stomping down the road, his eyes burning with a fierce hatred. Yuko was tailing him, holding Usa-chan over her head. More than a little curious, Izumi stood up and began making her way toward her cousins. As she got nearer, she made out their conversation.

"Come on, nii-chan!" Yuko pleaded. "I know you didn't mean it. Mama loves you lots! That's why he doesn't want you getting hurt."

"I'm not a helpless baby, Yuko!" Kazuki snapped, turning around and pointing at Yuko. "You should talk! He never gets angry with you for _anything_! You're a perfect little angel in his eyes! It makes me _SICK_!"

"But—"

"I'm tired of his restrictions and incessant nagging! I'm a shinobi. Even if I'm still a genin, I'm still considered an adult. I just want him to start treating me like one. I'm not going to be a kid forever and he needs to know that. He can't keep me from wanting to get stronger and more skilled. It's for the good of the village. Why can't he see that instead of the helpless child he seems to think I am?"

"I can see that," Yuko said in a cutesy attempt to imitate Tobirama's voice. "But—"

"YUKO! Get lost! I don't need you hounding me either!"

Yuko pulled Usa-chan back to her chest, her eyes watering up.

"Kazuki!" Izumi snapped, frowning deeply. "Don't say things like that to your sister."

Kazuki stiffened when he saw his cousin. "Izumi?"

"Siblings can be a pain, but they do care about you," Izumi said as she knelt down and pulled Yuko into a hug, running a soothing hand across her head. "I should know. I've been dealing with my brothers a lot longer than you have with your sister."

Kazuki scowled, crossing his arms and glaring at the ground. Akio and Ryo soon caught up, each one standing beside Kazuki. The youngest of the boys took a deep breath, exhaling soon after in an effort to calm himself down.

"What happened?" Ryo asked.

"…I had a fight with my mother," Kazuki reluctantly explained. "Don't ask. I'm not in the mood to talk about it."

"Ah…okay!" Akio said awkwardly. "How about I show you my new technique to lift the mood?"

Everyone took a collective step away from Akio. A sweatdrop ran down the bicolored-haired child's head. He laughed nervously.

"Come on, guys! It has nothing to do with paper bombs this time!"

"It's not the paper bombs we're worried about," Ryo deadpanned. "It's the shoddy control of your Wood Style. I'd take paper bombs any day as long as I don't have to worry about being impaled by tree branches."

Akio pouted. "I'm getting better!"

"Nope. I'm not taking that chance either," added Kazuki. "Your 'techniques' always end in disaster."

"I wanna see!" Yuko optimistically shouted.

"See? Yuko supports me! Give me a chance, guys. Pleeeeeeeeeeease?"

"Pleeeeeeeeeeease?" Yuko repeated alongside Akio, both kids giving their patented Puppy Eye Combo no Jutsu on the rest of them.

"We're gonna regret this, aren't we?" Kazuki questioned Ryo.

Ryo nodded as he watched Akio make his hand signs. "Yep. It never fails."

"Alright!" Akio announced. "Wood Style—"

Just as Akio clapped his hands together, a brilliant, white light appeared seemingly out of nowhere. It pierced through the retinas of the five kids, causing them to shield their eyes.

"What the hell is this?!" Ryo exclaimed.

"I don't know!" Akio responded.

"Akio! What did you do, ya bastard!?"

"This wasn't supposed to happen!"

Izumi, still holding Yuko whom had her head buried into her chest and now crying even harder than before, gritted her teeth and attempted to open her eyes to see what was going on. On the edge of her senses, she sensed a foreign but very powerful chakra within the light and it made her anxious. Were they under attack?

The light became brighter and all were subjected to a faint sucking sensation before they were mercifully knocked out.

Ominous shattering.

Despite being in separate households, picture frames fell and crashed to the floor at the same time. Glass shattered, spreading pieces across the floor and ripping the pictures in the process. In complete yet unknown unison, Madara and Tobirama picked up the broken frames. The cracks ran down in such a way that they cut off the children from their parents. Izuna's face could not be made out behind the smashed frame. Hashirama's face had been split in two by the glass and Madara had been separated completely from the picture.

They could only wonder why they felt a foreboding feeling descend upon them as they attempted to save what little they could recover from the frames. They did know one thing for certain.

Something had happened to the kids. Something bad.

* * *

**Eh…I know I said I was going to work on this in the DISTANT future since I wanted to work of some of my other stories, but my OC babies were calling to me! I couldn't ignore them! So, lucky for you faithful viewers who are still reading this series, you get this next part early.**

**So, here we are with the third installment of the "**_**Three**_**" series: **_**Three Legacies**_**. This time, it'll focus on these wonderful OCs that kitsunelover300, my OTPs, and I have created and it'll be MUCH longer than the first two stories were. What was the light? Where did they go? You shall see in the next chapter! Hope you enjoyed and stay tuned!**

**EDIT: I made a cover for this story! It shows each of the kids, but...the stupid picture didn't come out too good. And I won't even mention how horribly off the anatomy is... T_T So, to fix the visual issue, I'll be posting a link to my Deviantart account and post the picture there so you can see it better if you're curious.**


	2. Twisted Future

"Owwwwwwwwwwwww…"

"Akio…I'm gonna kill you…"

"It's not my fault this time, I swear!"

"YES IT IS!"

Izumi blinked at the sky, haphazardly listening to the scuffle her younger brothers had gotten into. With a pained groan, she lifted herself up from the ground. She ignored the fight to look at their surroundings. They were in a forested area, which was odd since they were in the village a few seconds ago. Judging from the tree structure, they were still in the forests surrounding Konoha. She huffed, standing up and walking over to the two boys. She stood behind Ryo, towering over him. He immediately stiffened up, ceasing all movements. Akio let out a sigh of relief as he squirmed out from under Ryo. Once Akio was free, Izumi moved in front of Ryo and gave him a disapproving look.

"I told you to not stand behind me, Zumi-nee!" Ryo barked out. "You know I hate that!"

"It was the only way to get you to stop trying to kill Akio," Izumi snapped. "This is no time to be getting into petty fistfights. Something happened and we were dumped outside the village, not to mention Kazuki and Yuko are missing."

"EH!?" Akio cried, frantically looking around and realizing his sister was right. "Oh man! Uncle Tobi would KILL me if anything happened to them and this was my fault!"

"It IS your fault," Ryo growled. "This entire thing happened when you just _had_ to show off your new technique! Well, thank you for the demonstration! Now we gotta hike back home!"

Akio slumped to the ground in the fetal position, a depressive cloud hovering over his figure. Ryo sweatdropped, frowning deeply at his baby brother's antics. Akio lifted his head up, revealing tear-filled eyes. Ryo let out an exasperated groan.

"Alright, I'm sorry! Just stop moping like a baby. You're just as bad as Daddy is."

"Apology accepted!" Akio declared, perking right back up.

Ryo's eye twitched. "Explain to me why I'm related to you again…"

"That's enough, both of you," Izumi stated, moving through the forest brush. "We aren't going to get home just standing here. If you don't want to face Mom's wrath, I suggest we start moving."

"Got it!" the twins agreed, following after their sister.

The three kids maneuvered their way through trees, bushes, and past various wildlife as they attempted to find their way. Izumi scowled, noticing the time of day wasn't right. It was supposed to be noon, but the sun was too far in the west. The time was off, unless they were passed out for three hours. She highly doubted that explanation, but it was the only plausible one.

She halted, stopping the other two with her. She was on high alert. She had heard talking nearby. With a quick hand signal, she told the boys to lay low while she investigated. Silently, she leapt into the trees and crept closer towards the voices. She peeked through the tree leaves, spotting a group of three people. She raised an eyebrow at all of them.

The first one she noticed was the one who was boisterously talking. He had bright blonde hair and deep blue eyes that could rival Uncle Raiden's in intensity. He was wearing an orange jumpsuit. Izumi instantly frowned at that when she realized the blonde was wearing a Konoha hitai-ate. What ever happened to the teaching that shinobi should be inconspicuous? Apparently, the blonde either didn't learn it or chose to ignore it.

The girl next to him had the pinkest hair Izumi had ever seen in her life. It reminded her of the many cherry blossoms in the orchard her Daddy had grown for her in celebration of her birth. The last one wore a happuri, similar to Uncle Tobi's, and wore a Konoha flak jacket. So they were all Konoha shinobi, but Izumi had never seen any of them in her life. She would have remembered these individuals if they lived around Konoha or she would have seen them on the job. Spies, perhaps? She quietly took hold of the katana strapped to her waist, waiting silently for the right moment to strike. She would need them alive for questioning. With her Sharingan, she could get all of their secrets with a simple moment of eye contact. She would wait until the right moment to catch them all in her Sharingan's genjutsu.

She unintentionally let out a small squeak when she felt something wrap around her body, restricting her movements. She looked down, finding what appeared to be black snakes tied around her.

"Don't move," a monotone voice spoke threateningly and Izumi could feel the cold texture of a blade against her throat.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see pale skin, black eyes, and short black hair belonging to a boy her age. He wore no expression; nothing passed the indifferent mask but it made him more threatening in her eyes, especially since he was wearing a headband with the Konoha insignia around his forehead.

Despite herself, Izumi chanced her words. "If you were going to spy on someone, you should know better than to pilfer a headband from my village."

The boy's expression didn't change, though Izumi caught a curious glimmer in the other's black orbs.

"I was unaware that you were of Konoha," he spoke again, not giving anything away. Izumi had to commend him for that. "I've never seen you in the village before."

"I could say the same thing."

Izumi thought through all of her options, trying to formulate a plan to get out of this pressing situation.

"Nee-chan!" Two voices called out, causing Izumi to mentally groan. In an instant, both Ryo and Akio were on the stranger's ass, kunai in hand and Sharingan activated. Neither one was too pleased with the teen threatening their sister.

"Step down, whoever you are," Ryo said in a forceful voice, something he undoubtedly inherited from their mother.

"You fools! What the hell are two thinking?" Izumi hissed between her teeth. "I told you to lay low."

"You were in trouble, Nee-Nee," Akio said, looking a little put off that they were being scolded.

"And you gave away our position to these spies. You're chunin now, so this is supposed to be basic knowledge! You're both hopeless!"

In an instant, the other three that Izumi noticed from earlier appeared in front of them on the trees.

"Huh?" the blonde raised an eyebrow. "Who are they?"

"That's what I'd like to know," the girl replied, emerald green eyes hardened and battle ready if needed.

The one wearing a Happuri, the only adult amongst them with short brown hair and a jounin flak narrowed his oddly shaped black eyes at the siblings. "Identify yourselves! Who are you and why were you spying on us?"

Izumi narrowed her eyes back, on edge as she could feel chakra similar to her father's and even Akio's coming from this stranger. "I should be asking you that. I've never seen you in Konoha before, so it's a pretty pathetic attempt of you to plan on invading the village."

The "spies" seemed taken aback by this, though the pale one's expression had yet to change. The blonde pointed an accusing finger at Izumi, annoyance and anger burning in his eyes.

"What are you talking about? Konoha is our home! If anyone is pathetic about planning an attack on Konoha, it's you!"

Anger weld up in Izumi's chest, though her expression didn't change. The twins on the other hand…

"Watch it, blondie!" Ryo snarled, narrowing Sharingan eyes. "You dare insinuate that we invade our home!?"

Noticing the twins from behind their assumed teammate, three pairs of eyes widened. Even the loudmouth blonde seemed to be surprised enough that whatever he was going to say died on his tongue.

The pinkette spoke up. "How is it that you possess the Sharingan?"

Izumi had an eyebrow raised. Why did they seem so surprised to see a Sharingan? It's like they had barely seen the Sharingan in their lives. The Uchiha Clan was massive. How had they managed to get away with _not_ seeing the Sharingan?

"Um…because we're Uchihas. Duh," Akio answered bluntly. "How else would we have a kekkei genkai specific to the Uchiha Clan?"

"You know, that was probably the most sophisticated answer I have ever heard you give, bro," Ryo stated.

"Hey! Quit picking on me, why don'tcha?" whined Akio.

"You both are _idiots_…" Izumi moaned, a sweatdrop running down her head. "Don't reveal information like that to the enemy. How _did_ you pass the chunin exams when you lack the ability to use common shinobi tactics?"

"Cause Daddy is awesome like that?" Akio answered with a shrug.

Izumi huffed in aggravation, blowing her bangs in the process. Of course their father would be a bit biased towards his sons; but even so, her brothers should really learn to choose their words carefully. Skills and battle prowess meant nothing if you didn't have the smarts to utilize them to their full potential. Ryo was a hothead and Akio was a few kunai short of a full pouch. Of _course_ she had to be placed in a precarious situation surrounded by deadly spies with her younger brothers spewing out information that was better left unsaid and her cousins were still missing. The Senju luck was running true to form once again.

She stiffened when she saw tree branches shoot out of the forest trunks, ensnaring her brothers. She immediately spotted the happuri-wearing shinobi making the traditional hand signs for a Wood Style technique. So the similar chakra wasn't just a coincidence. Either this person was from the Senju Clan and was lucky enough to inherit the clan's fabled kekkei genkai or he had stolen it in some way. Akio was blameless for once, she mused.

"I will ask again," the apparent leader demanded as the branches tightened around her brothers. "Who are you? If you refuse to answer, your siblings will pay for it."

Izumi growled at the situation. "…Fine. I'll tell you. Just let them go."

The glare she received was more of an answer. Akio began letting out weird sounds as a branch began choking him. Ryo was doing his best to keep quiet, but he was struggling to breathe despite his attempt to appear infallible. Izumi let out a defeated sigh. She loved her baby brothers dearly. She'd never forgive herself if she allowed them to get hurt. She swore she'd protect them, no matter what.

"My name is Izumi. Izumi Senju-Uchiha," Izumi unwillingly answered. "I'm a jounin from Konoha, the next head of the Uchiha Clan, and daughter of the Hokage."

There was a moment of silence where the leader and pinkette just glared at her. It was then broken by the rambunctious blonde. His hands flew to his head in disbelief.

"GRANDMA TSUNADE REPRODUCED WITH SASUKE!?" he shouted in shock.

"_**SHANNARO!**_" the pinkette roared as she punched the blonde hard enough that he flew halfway across the road. "Naruto, you moron! Lady Tsunade would never do something so scandalous, not to mention the ages don't even match up! How could you be stupid enough to even think that!?"

"Who's Tsunade?" Izumi curiously asked. "I don't know who she is, but I'm not Sasuke's child. If I was, that would make me and Hiruzen siblings. He's like a brother to me, but we're not related."

"So you knew the Third Hokage personally?" the leader questioned.

"_Third_ Hokage? What are you; nuts?" Izumi snapped. "There hasn't even been a second one yet! I hope it remains that way for a while longer. Besides, Hiruzen's got a long way if he ever wants to surpass Hashirama Senju as Hokage. Dad is no pushover when it comes to jutsu."

"…You're pulling my leg here, right?"

"I'm telling the truth."

"That's a lie!" the pinkette shouted. "The First Hokage has been dead for decades. Do you honestly think we can believe you when your information is clearly outdated?"

"Easy, Sakura," the leader said.

"But Captain Yamato—!"

Izumi blinked. "Wait, what do you mean he's been 'dead for decades'? I saw him not a few hours ago. He was still kicking then. I don't believe he would kick the bucket that soon. Mom would drag him back from hell before that ever happened."

The leader, now known as Yamato, sighed. "This is a right mess, isn't it?"

Izumi blinked again. If Yamato thought he was confused, he was sorely mistaken. Izumi was beyond perplexed. What in the world were these people talking about? Hiruzen was still training and her father was still Hokage. Why would they talk about Hiruzen being the Third Hokage as if he had actually achieved that title a long time ago? Why did they think she was Sasuke Sarutobi and this Tsunade woman's child? How did this Yamato have her father's Wood Style kekkei genkai? So many questions and not enough answers.

"Sakura, Sai," Yamato announced. "Change of plans. We'll be taking these three with us to the village. Lady Tsunade will want to know about this."

"Yes sir," both teens answered.

"Say _what_!?" Ryo yelled. "You can't take us as prisoners to our own village!"

"Shush, Ryo," Izumi hushed him. "You know as well as I do that something's really wrong here. Maybe this Tsunade person can shed some light on this whole situation and what happened to us."

Ryo moaned. "I know…you're right. Doesn't mean I particularly like it."

"I can't feel my toes!" Akio shouted randomly, causing Ryo and Izumi to sweatdrop at their brother.

"Can you leave him here?" Ryo pleaded to Yamato. "I will worship the ground you walk on if you do."

Izumi sighed. "Ryo…"

* * *

"Oooooooooooooooooookaaaaaaaaaaay…Since when were there _five_ faces on that cliff?"

"Since when did Uncle Tobi become Hokage?"

"WHY THE HELL AM I NOT UP THERE!?"

Izumi and Akio deadpanned at Ryo's statement, watching their brother scowl at the three latter faces on the cliff. It was Ryo's dream to become Hokage one day since he had no patience or desire to lead the Senju Clan, deeming it too "old-fashioned" to bother with.

"Because you still have years to go before you're a _capable_ shinobi," Izumi stated, conjuring a few giggles from Akio in the process.

"That was low, Zumi-nee…" pouted Ryo.

Izumi rolled her eyes as Sakura shoved her along. She kept quiet from that point onwards. After the brief encounter with the guards at the gate, they were led through the village. Izumi frowned at what she saw. A lot of things looked similar, but there were places she had never seen before as well. In fact, the whole village looked…older in some way. The Hokage building soon loomed over them and they were led inside. Izumi gulped once they were standing before the door leading to the Hokage's office. Yamato opened the door, allowing them to see inside. Instead of seeing their father at the desk like they expected, they saw a beautiful, busty, blonde woman sitting there. The blonde turned her brown eyes onto them, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Lady Tsunade," Yamato greeted the blonde, bowing in respect before her.

"That's the Tsunade person they were going on about?" Akio whispered to Ryo. "She's Hokage?"

"She's…kinda pretty," Ryo added, a slight blush marking his cheeks.

"Hey, Granny Tsunade!" Naruto interrupted. "You didn't happen to have a kid with Itachi or Sasuke or something, did you?"

"NARUTO!" Sakura yelled before she punched him into the ground. "SHUT UP!"

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched in irritation. "No. What gave you such a ridiculous idea?"

Naruto pointed to Izumi from the ground. "She says she's your daughter."

Izumi stomped her foot on Naruto's head, grinding her foot into his skull. "Don't you _dare_ say this woman is my mother!"

"But you said—!"

"I said that the First Hokage was my father, you moron! Learn to listen!"

"Yamato," Tsunade said, her commanding tone calming everyone down. "Care to explain this?"

"We encountered these three outside the village," Yamato explained as he motioned to the three kids. "Their claims were that we were spies intending to do harm to Konoha on the basis that they've never seen us before."

"Because we haven't!" Ryo snapped in indignation.

"They also claim that their father was the First Hokage and that he was still in office. I'm not sure whether if they're serious or just plain awful in coming up with a good backstory."

"Not to mention these two have the Sharingan," Sakura added, pointing to the twins. "I think it's a load of nonsense. Shodai-sama never married an Uchiha…right, Lady Tsunade?"

"Huh!?" Izumi balked in shock. "But that can't be right! Who—"

"You," Tsunade said to Izumi, gaining Izumi's attention. "What kind of game are you playing at?"

Izumi gulped, feeling sweat run down her neck. This woman was not someone she should disrespect. She could feel her immense power without needing to fight her. Izumi took a deep breath, hoping to ease her nerves.

"I'm not playing a game. I'm telling you what I know," Izumi explained. "All I know is that I got promoted to jounin by my father Hashirama Senju, went out to see my brothers, ran into my cousins, got blinded by a flash of light, and the next thing I know is that we're outside Konoha and we ran into Yamato and his misfits."

Tsunade's glare hardened. "If that's the case, then you should know the penalty for refusing to cooperate."

Izumi stiffened. "What?"

"Everything you've said is a complete lie," Tsunade replied. "The First Hokage has been dead for a long time now. He never married an Uchiha. I know so because I am his granddaughter."

"WHAT!?" Ryo shouted in disbelief. "I am going to kill you, Akio! This is, without a doubt, your fault!"

"Ryo, shut up," Izumi snapped. She turned back to Tsunade. "Lady Tsunade, if you're…his granddaughter and not an Uchiha, who is your grandmother?"

"Mito Uzumaki," Tsunade answered.

"Mito-hime?" Izumi repeated, her nose wrinkling up in an attempt to not burst out laughing. "I'm not seeing it. I can't imagine Dad ever hooking up with her. Mito-hime is a refined, respectable, and responsible person. Knowing how Dad is, he would ruin that prestige in no time."

"You continue to stick with your story that you're Hashirama Senju's children?"

"Because it's true!" Akio pleaded. "Please believe us, Lady Tsunade! We don't mean any harm to Konoha. It's our home. We became shinobi so we could protect it and our families."

Tsunade sighed. "Unless you have some sort of proof to back up your claims, I'm not likely to believe you."

"His birthday is October 23rd, his favorite food is mushroom mixed soup, and he had three brothers. Only Uncle Tobi is left though."

"Anyone could easily read that out of a history book. If you don't have any legitimate proof, I'll have no choice but to let the interrogation force handle you three for me.

Izumi's thoughts raced. Interrogation was not a pretty job judging from the sparse things she had heard about it. How could she prove their story? Genjutsu wasn't an option. They would assume she was making them see what she wanted them to see. She felt her heart pound as she desperately tried to find an answer. She stopped when she felt something move on her chest. She looked down her collar, noticing the necklace inside her shirt. She smiled. There was only one like it in the world.

"My necklace," Izumi said. "Take off the necklace that's around my neck."

Sakura peeked at Izumi's neck, looking surprised to see a cord around it. She carefully removed the pendant, holding it aloft for everyone to see. Tsunade's eyes widened in shock. Naruto, who had finally recovered from his beating from earlier, looked at the gem. He pulled out an exact copy of the necklace from behind his jacket, comparing the two.

"They're exactly the same," Naruto noted. "I thought this was a one-of-a-kind thing."

"It is," Tsunade answered. "Yamato?"

Yamato nodded, taking Izumi's necklace and looking at the gem. He soon had a shocked expression as well.

"It's definitely reacting to my chakra," he said. "It's not a fake. It's the real thing."

Tsunade's glare receded. "I see…"

"Akio, show them your stuff too," Izumi added, smiling at her brother.

Akio frowned. "I thought you hated when I used my Wood Style?"

"Wood Style?" Tsunade said, her interest piqued. "So you inherited that fabled kekkei genkai?"

"Yep. Though I suck at controlling it…"

"Let me see it."

Akio sighed, looking worried as he placed his hands together. He half-expected another bright light to appear when small tree roots grew out of Tsunade's desk. They stretched upwards, buds blooming into cherry blossoms. Akio let out a sigh of relief, happy that nothing went wrong this time when he used his Wood Style. He had an infamous amount of "incidents" happen due to his lack of control over his kekkei genkai. He nearly killed Ryo once via impalement by tree branches. He received a vicious tongue lashing from his mother soon afterwards. From that point onward, he tried to practice his control of the technique in places far away from everybody so something like that wouldn't happen again.

"Alright…so there seems to be some truth to your story," Tsunade concluded. "I'll believe your words that you mean no harm to the village…for now. I suggest you three don't do anything to sway what little faith I have in your claims."

Izumi let out a relieved sigh. She could relax a bit more without having to worry about their lives being threatened.

"I'm not entirely sure how this is possible, but it sounds to me that you might have come from a different time altogether. A time where Hashirama Senju didn't marry Mito, it seems."

"So…this is some freaky alternate future universe where Dad _didn't_ marry Mom?" Akio summed up. "That is weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeird."

"Yes…I've been meaning to ask who your mother is. As far as I know, Ojii-sama wasn't exceptionally close to any Uchiha woman. It surprises me that he found and even _married_ someone from the Uchiha Clan."

"Our mother is the greatest mom in the world! He's really nice, strong, and he makes the best inarizushi ever!"

"He?" Sakura inquired. "You mean 'she'."

Ryo shook his head. "No. Mom is a he."

"EH!?" Naruto shouted. "How does _that_ work!?"

"You know, I never really asked. The only answer I got was that they had the 'right equipment'," Izumi explained. "Anyway, to confirm your doubts, yes; our mother is not a woman at all. Our mother is Madara Uchiha."

Everyone's face had a perfect "What the _hell_!?" expression. Izumi blinked at the visible disdain that all the adults had in their eyes. The teens seemed to be relatively clueless on who their mother was.

"Who's Madara Uchiha?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Madara Uchiha was a traitor and a criminal to Konoha," Yamato explained, distaste clearly evident in his voice. "He tried to destroy the village, but thanks to Shodai-sama he was stopped. Their battle was so destructive that it left the very earth scarred. Shodai-sama killed Madara in the very valley their fight had created. That place is now called the Valley of the End and the statues there now symbolize their clash and where each one stood in terms of their loyalty."

"That's a bunch of bullshit!" Ryo angrily roared, attempting to go and kick Yamato in between the legs but was held back by Akio. "Dad would never do something so horrible to Mom and Mom would never do anything to the village!"

"Tell that to the ones who lived during that time and experienced firsthand how evil Madara was," Tsunade stated. "He was a heartless monster."

"That's enough."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow at the challenging look on Izumi's face. Her Sharingan burned with fierce devotion and hatred. Her hands were clenched tightly and her chakra flaring a bit. For a moment, Tsunade could clearly see the resemblance between the girl and Madara.

"I like to say I know my mother well," Izumi said. "He cares deeply about the things that matter most to him. I highly doubt he would try and destroy the very village he founded _together_ with Hashirama and even named it himself."

"Wait, so…this Madara person named our village?" Naruto inquired.

"Of course!" Izumi snapped. "Everyone should know that if it comes to the village's founding! Konoha wouldn't be called 'Konoha' if it wasn't for him! Don't tell me your stupid historians were so biased towards Madara that they only focused on his bad aspects rather than the good?"

Tsunade glowered at Izumi. "Then you would be insulting your own uncle then. Many of the things we know about the foundation of Konoha was recorded by Tobirama Senju. He also documented the darkness and shady actions Madara did over the course of the few years that traitor was in the village. The battle with Madara was probably what led Ojii-sama to his death before the First Shinobi World War."

"So you all follow the flock before you without question? That makes everyone biased towards Madara. If this is supposed be a possible future for us, I already despise it. You don't question anything; you simply do what you're told and that's the truth and you accept it willingly."

"Why would Uncle Tobi say things like that anyway? They get along great back home!" Akio retorted. "I can't believe that he would say such horrible things about Mom."

Tsunade crossed her arms. "He wasn't one to lie, especially about important matters that concerned safety of the village. I'm simply telling you what we know. Besides, others besides the Nidaime can give witness to Madara's evil. He wasn't alone in his views about that traitor."

Izumi growled under her breath, clenching her fists tightly. This world was messed up. Their father married Aunt Mito, but killed their mother? Uncle Tobi hated Madara? Wouldn't Uncle Zuzu have said anything to support Madara in some way? Of course he would, so why didn't he do anything? Did something bad happen to Izuna as well? That caused Izumi's anger to rise. The thought that such things happened to her entire family to affect it to _this_ extent made her heart ache.

"For now, you three are to remain in the village until we can sort everything out. I'll have to pull some strings for you to stay, but then again it's not like it would be the first time I've pissed off those old codgers."

"Can't we talk to the our current Clan heads or something?" Izumi suggested.

"There are no Clan heads anymore…" Tsunade answered with a hint of sorrow in her voice. "The Senju Clan has dwindled in numbers over the course of time. I'm the last living descendant of that once great clan. As for the Uchiha…Itachi Uchiha slaughtered every member of the clan except for his younger brother Sasuke. They're all that's left of the Uchiha…"

Izumi felt a lump form in her throat before it fell into the pit of her stomach. Everyone they knew, all their friends…They were gone. If their clans were gone, more than likely the Uzumaki and Namikaze Clans were extinguished as well. Izumi could feel the buildup of tears behind her eyes. Kazuki and Yuko would be devastated once they learned of what happened to everyone.

The siblings all looked at each other, their expressions giving away the exact same thoughts.

What layer of Hell did we land in?

* * *

**So the bomb has been dropped and the HashiMada kids realize they've ended up in Hell. But what about Kazuki and Yuko? Where are they? You shall see in the next chapter! Hope you enjoyed and stay tuned!**


	3. Regret and Longing

"Do you honestly expect us to believe that!?"

"I don't expect you to believe me, you backwater excuse for the Sandman. However, I _did_ expect a more friendly welcome than the one I got. Do all you Sand ninja lack proper manners?"

"You got some nerve, smartass. Do you have any idea who you're speaking to?"

"A weak, asinine geezer forever doomed to lick the backside of your village leader, hiding behind a pathetic excuse for a turban."

"…You're a wordy little bastard."

The child shrewdly smirked. "Perhaps. I suppose it just proves my point that even a child can prove to be your better."

Baki had the strongest urge to gut the brat open. Never had he seen a child so full of sarcastic wit, able to argue with an adult three times his age. This lone child with a mind that would leave most in shock…it was unheard of. It made the man wonder exactly how the boy ended up stranded in the desolate wasteland that was the desert outside Sunagakure. Had his unit not found the boy, dehydrated and lost, the child most certainly would have died. However, suspicion was high. After the whole Akatsuki incident where Gaara had been kidnapped, none of the Suna ninja were very accepting of strangers in their land. Naruto and the Leaf were of the few people that Suna knew they could trust without fail.

"Are you done with this so called 'interrogation'? Admit it; it's not getting you anywhere. My mother scares me more than you. Heck, my baby sister is terrifying compared to you."

"Still…I find it hard to believe you're a Leaf shinobi. You don't even have your hitai-ate."

"There wasn't a need since I wasn't on the job. It was left in my home. Chill out. What can a genin do to your elite jounin? Not much. So why all the suspicion?"

"We had an…incident happen and our Kazekage was put in danger."

"Oh please," the boy scoffed. "If your leader can't handle himself, he doesn't deserve his position."

"How dare you speak about Lord Gaara that way!"

The boy raised a curious eyebrow. "Gaara?"

Baki glared at Kazuki. The boy frowned, his scolding look melting into worry. That couldn't be right. His mother had gone with Uncle Hashi to a meeting with all the other Kages of the land. He described that Kazekage as an arrogant man, holding no mercy for those who lived outside his village. That man's name was not Gaara as far as he knew. Did he get overthrown? It was a possibility if this Gaara was the stronger shinobi.

"Baki," Kazuki began, startling the guy since he thought Kazuki wouldn't bother remembering his name. "If it's not an issue, may I meet your Kazekage? There's something I need to know for certain."

"Our Kazekage has no business with the likes of little brats like you."

"Have you ever seen a Water Style master? Don't make me show you."

Baki scoffed. "Your words mean nothing. The last Water Style master was Tobirama Senju of Konohagakure and he's dead. Has been for a while."

The sudden change in expression startled Baki. The child, who had been so mature and composed, was suddenly reduced to the frightened child he truly was. It almost made the Suna ninja feel guilty. He saw the sheer disbelief and sorrow reflected in his eyes. It made no sense. Why was this kid mourning over someone who had long been deceased?

"How!?" the boy immediately questioned. "That can't be true! He's still alive! He has to be!"

"Take it easy."

Pure fury ignited. Angry crimson eyes glared at him. "You lying bastard…"

"I'm telling the truth. Apparently you've been hiding under a rock your whole life to not know that bit of history."

He blinked. "History?"

"Yes. It's been about six decades since he died."

"…Show me."

Baki raised an eyebrow at the odd child. Never had he thought such an old topic would ruffle this kid's feathers to such a degree. It made this boy even more of a mystery than before. Deciding that showing the kid the truth was better than having to deal with the inevitable tantrum that was sure to follow if he didn't comply, Baki went off to find one of their history books that covered Konoha's founding and the First Shinobi World War. It was because of Konoha's formation that the other Hidden Villages followed its example and made their own settlements. Once he found it, he instantly threw the book in front of the brat. The kid raised an eyebrow at it before he opened it and began flipping through the pages.

Kazuki couldn't believe his eyes. This was a history book detailing the _past_. How could six decades have passed? Was it caused by that light that dumped him in the middle of Wind Country? It was the only logical answer. He scanned the pages, his heart desperately hoping for the best. Even if this was the future, at least there had to be something mentioning that the Shodai Hokage's family lived long and happy lives. That's what he had wished for. Instead, he felt a cold sense of dread wash over him as he read more of the book.

Uncle Madara had betrayed the village? Why? Uncle Hashi died before the onset of a war? How? What happened to his father during this whole mess? His dad had been away on a mission when he was arguing with his mom. He knew for sure he was still alive and well. So what happened to him that he never even got mentioned in this book? Kazuki bit his lip as he saw the atrocities painted before him on the page. When he turned to the next topic, he felt a rock drop into the pit of his gut. Tobirama Senju, Nidaime Hokage, Water Style master unlike anything anyone had seen before, had nearly been killed by Cloud ninja at a peace ceremony with the Raikage. The very thought scared him. His Mama had always been an infallible shinobi in his eyes. As much as he had hated him at times, he was still his mother. He wouldn't wish anything horrible on the man. Of all the people he knew in his family, he had the strongest bond with his mother. If Tobirama ever died…Kazuki didn't know what he'd do.

He stopped on that last page. He felt his whole body stop moving. His eyes were focused on the contents before him. The buildup of tears threatened to escape and his breathing quickened. Unfathomable sorrow blossomed and he soon couldn't help himself. He let the tears loose, more rocks falling into his stomach.

Tobirama had died at the hands of the Kinkaku Force, a group of highly skilled ninjas led by the Gold and Silver Brothers, in order to protect the village. It was his sacrifice that helped lead the First Shinobi World War to its end. In that moment, Kazuki wished he could take back every nasty thing he had ever said to his mother. He wished he could go home right now and apologize for acting the way he did. But now…he'd never get that chance. He couldn't take those things back and the overwhelming guilt began to eat away at him. He curled up into his knees, quietly sobbing into them. He no longer cared what Baki thought of him. He no longer cared about self-control. All he wanted to do was cry. He just wanted to go home; a home where Tobirama was still alive and would forgive him.

Baki felt awkward as the once composed child became a sobbing mess. He had seen the times when Gaara was like that, but was always instructed to stay away from the child. He had no idea how to comfort this kid nor did he understand why he was sad in the first place.

"Are you alright?" he asked uneasily.

Blood red eyes filled with tears glared at him. "Just fine! Now leave me alone!"

He stared in disbelief. He had thought there were only two people who had those eyes. One was Itachi Uchiha, the infamous traitor, and the other was Sasuka Uchiha, a rogue ninja under the tutelage of Orochimaru. How was this kid an Uchiha when there were supposedly only two survivors of that massacre?

"Kid, what's your story? How do you have those eyes?"

"Even if I told you, you wouldn't believe me. You'd call me a freak and a liar."

"Try me."

"Okay, then here it is," the boy began. "My name is Kazuki Uchiha-Senju. I come from a different time altogether; a time where Madara didn't betray the village and no war has plagued the land in years. I live in a time where the founders of the Leaf are still alive."

"…You're serious."

Kazuki nodded. "I don't know how or why, but something brought me here into this time. This future…it shouldn't have happened. My family shouldn't have…"

"I see. Was the Nidaime your father?"

"No…My mother, actually…"

Baki stared at the kid, an uncomfortable silence permeating the room. He blinked, seeing that there was no deception behind those Sharingan eyes. The kid was either telling the truth or he was a really bad liar. Then again, his story was too wild and Kazuki was telling it so sincerely that Baki had a hard time believing it wasn't true. The grief in his eyes; the pain of losing a loved one was not something one could easily fake.

"…How…?"

"Jutsu. Mama is…I mean, Nidaime-sama was a genius at creating unique jutsu. I don't think there was ever a time when I believed he couldn't do the impossible."

Again, Baki still couldn't believe what he was hearing. The legendary Second Hokage had a kid? Two kids? That the man bore himself? He had trouble seeing it, but one of the products was sitting right before him. Kazuki let out a sullen laugh.

"You think it's a farfetched tale, don't you?"

"It's…difficult to wrap my head around it, but it doesn't mean I don't believe you."

Kazuki perked up. "Really?"

"I've seen enough weird things in my life," Baki answered, turning towards the exit. "This still isn't the strangest thing I've ever heard."

"Where are you going?"

"Interrogation is complete. There's no need for me to stay. Our Kazekage will decide what to do with you and you better pray he believes your word. Otherwise, I can't say you'll end up in the nicest of places after this."

Kazuki hid into his knees a little more after the door slammed shut. More tears began trailing down his face and he attempted to wipe them away. They never stopped. He quickly looked back to the door, making sure no one was coming in yet. He dug into his pack, searching for the one thing that still had a trace of home left on it. He pulled out a kunai, gently tracing the intricate seal on the wrappings surrounding the handle. He remembered the day his mother had given it to him. It was a marking from his Hiraishin no Jutsu. It was for protective measures. If ever needed, his mother could simply teleport straight to Kazuki no matter where he was. He clutched the kunai closer to his chest. He imagined his mother doing just that, right now, to take him back home.

"I wanna go home…Mama, please…Come back…"

* * *

"I see. You truly believe he is who he says he is?"

"As hard as it is to believe, I do. I doubt anyone could come up with such a spectacular lie and I don't think he had a reason to. He's still a child, susceptible to being too honest in situations like that due to parenting. And…"

"And?"

"He had that same forlorn look in his eyes; the kind you once had."

Baki concluded his report to the teenage Kazekage, leaving out no detail of his talk with the mysterious young boy claiming to be the child of the Nidaime Hokage from the past. The jounin awaited a response, a small part of him wanting Gaara to spare the child of any punishment their own T&amp;I Unit could administer. Baki was reminded of Gaara when he saw Kazuki and didn't want to see any more anguished tears when he could do something about it.

This year was turning out to be a wild ride so far, Gaara concluded. Not only were the Akatsuki now showing their faces, but a child of a Leaf legend had suddenly appeared. Apparently the boy wasn't the only one from the sounds of things. Gaara stood up, deciding to see the enigma for himself.

Of all the things to expect from a possible child of Tobirama Senju, he thought the boy would be the spitting image of his parent. He was a bit surprised to see the emotional wreck the kid had turned into when Baki had left the room. The boy had been crying nonstop, his eyes raw from rubbing them too much. He approached the child, gaining Kazuki's attention. The Uchiha stared at the new face, looking uncertainly at Gaara.

"Who're you?" Kazuki asked, sniffing slightly.

"I am Sabaku no Gaara. I am the Fifth Kazekage."

"Really?" A bit of awe sparkled in his crimson eyes. "You look like you're Izumi's age and you're already a Kage?"

"Izumi?"

"One of my cousins. They're probably stranded somewhere out there along with my sister."

"So there are more from your time?"

"There were five of us in all, and that's including me. I don't know exactly how dangerous this time is, but I think they'll be able to handle themselves. I just hope Yuko is alright…she's too young to be a shinobi."

"And you say you're from the time of Konoha's foundation. What is it like?"

Kazuki let a small smile form. "It's really nice. Uncle Hashi is still Hokage and Uncle Madara didn't…you know. They work together to make relationships with other villages better. Mama…I mean, Tobirama helps Shodai-sama with his paperwork since he always manages to find a way to shirk it off. I don't blame him, but it's hilarious to see Mama when he's angry with Uncle Hashi."

"If the Nidaime Hokage was your 'mother', can you tell me who your father is?"

"Izuna Uchiha. Madara's brother. I was wondering why there was nothing in the book that mentioned him. I mean, Papa says he's just as strong as Uncle Madara."

"As far as I know, Madara was alone when he accepted the Senju Clan's truce. We can assume he was dead before that truce happened."

"I see…Papa too…"

"Kazuki, was it? Do not weep for what was lost. It will not bring your loved ones back."

"I know," Kazuki sniffed, once again wiping his tears away. "So what are you going to do with me?"

"For now…you'll stay here."

"Really?"

"Hokage's son or not, you don't pose much of a threat to Suna on your own. Until we find a way to return you to where you belong, we'll help you adjust. At least, that's what _he_ would do."

"You're too kind, Lord Kazekage," Kazuki said with a light bow. "Don't worry. I won't betray your trust. That's a promise."

* * *

"NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN! PAPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMY!"

Yuko pouted as her echo answered her back. She hugged Usa-chan a little tighter as she continued to wander around, completely lost. After the blinding light had dissipated, she opened her eyes and she found herself alone in a forest. To make matters worse, she did not recognize where she was. She could not sense her family's chakra anywhere, making her feel more alone than ever before. Only Usa-chan 's constant presence kept her from panicking. Usa-chan reminded her of her parents and how she always felt safe whenever she was with them. As long as Usa-chan was with her, Mama and Papa were with her too.

"Usa-chan? What should we do?" she asked the bunny, holding it so its face was looking at her.

"Don't worry, Yuko-chan! We'll get through this! Just leave everything to me!" Usa-chan said in reply, Yuko voicing him with a lower tone than her own.

"Are you sure? Last time I let you lead, Mama was mad because we were out past our bedtime."

"Aw, come on! What could go wrong?"

A sudden snap of a stick snapped Yuko out of her conversation with her plush toy. She squeezed Usa-chan, fear making her whole body shake. She took a deep breath, quietly walking away from whatever made the noise. She began gently singing her Papa's lullaby to herself in an effort to keep calm. Dango was nice. Dango was sweet. Nothing ever bad happened when you had dango to spare. At least that's what Papa always said to her.

More noise came from behind her, a shadow looming over her entire body. She felt her heart pounding as she slowly turned her head. She spotted a huge bear looking anything but pleased. In an instant, she took off running. She heard the massive beast chase after her. Tears streamed down her face as she screamed bloody murder. She didn't want to die! She wanted to go home! She wanted to be with her family again!

"SOMEONE HELP ME!" she cried, praying to the sky above that someone would hear her.

"TOBI TO THE RESCUE!"

Yuko stopped when she saw something fly over her head and whack the bear behind her. She turned around, spotting a strangely dressed man as he shooed away the creature. Looking miffed, the bear decided to heed the strange guy's words and left the two humans alone. The man turned around, revealing a swirly orange mask with a single eye hole placed over his face. He went over to Yuko, kneeling down to her level.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Yuko nodded. "Thank you, mister. You saved me and Usa-chan."

"Goodie!" the guy gleefully cheered. "Tobi was a good boy?"

"Swirly-tan is a very good boy!" Yuko happily answered.

"Tobi's name is Tobi; not Swirly-tan."

"Swirly-tan, Tobi; you're still a nice boy."

"YAY!" Tobi shouted. "So why are you out here, little one?"

"I'm lost. I can't find my family."

"Don't worry! Tobi will help you!"

"You will?"

"Of course! After all, Tobi is a good boy! So who is the girl that Tobi is helping?"

"I'm Yuko Uchiha-Senju! And this is my best friend, Usa-chan!"

"Okay, Yuko-chan! Tobi will help you find your family!"

"YAY!"

Tobi frowned behind his mask. Such an odd child. He had come to this place to investigate the strange influx of chakra that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Who could've guessed this simple-minded brat would be the cause of it? Then again, this child was anything but normal. An Uchiha and a Senju? How was such a thing possible? Was she even telling the truth? The only way to find out was to stick to her and pry out everything she knew. Then he'd have to go out and prove whether if what she was saying was the truth or just random childish drivel. If there were more Uchihas that he could bend to his will, he might just have a better chance at completing Project Tsuki no Me.

"_Yuko, you just might prove to be the tool I've needed for a long time…_"

* * *

**I AM NOT DEAD YET!**

**Yeah, it's been forever since I updated and I'm sorry. My muse hops around a lot. That and this story isn't getting the amount of attention that I would like. But thanks to some helpful urging and support from my wonderful co-author, I got my drive back! Hopefully my muse stays on this one for a while. I missed my OC babies. Yuko, why you so adorable!? Hope you enjoyed and stayed tuned for the next chapter!**


	4. Facing Reality

"So let me get this straight, Lady Tsunade. Madara betrayed the village and Shodai-sama killed him to protect it. Then he died before the onset of the First Shinobi War. After this, Uncle Tobi took up the title and attempted to follow his elder brother's example, but he died near the end of the war. Since then, there have been two more wars. And you suspect Madara may NOT be dead since he used the Nine-Tails in his battle against Daddy and the Nine-Tails attacked Konoha fifteen years ago for seemingly no reason at all? Is that what you're saying?"

"That's right."

Izumi scratched her head. "I'm having trouble seeing it."

"I wouldn't blame you. After all, none of this has happened in your time. It's the same for me when you say that Madara isn't evil and that Nidaime-sama got over his hatred for the Uchiha."

"I'd say I have proof, but my cousins are still missing."

"Yes, about that…Could you explain that to me as well?"

"Ah…where to start?" Izumi wondered aloud, tapping her arms as she thought about what to say. "You said Tobirama never married due to the danger the First Shinobi World War posed to the village. It took priority over any sort of relationship he might've shared with someone. Well, Uncle Tobi got over his hatred for the Uchiha in our time because of me."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Daddy told me that Tobirama despised the idea of his brother being together with Madara, who was the epitome of what an Uchiha should be. The main reason they got together was because Daddy found out Mom was pregnant with me and he promised he'd take responsibility for his actions. That included taking care of both Madara and me. Tobirama tried to separate the two, but he didn't do it alone. He had a partner in crime; an Uchiha. Madara's brother, Izuna Uchiha to be exact. Long story short, their attempts to separate their older brothers failed. But while they did all this, they slowly grew closer. Everything changed on Mom and Daddy's wedding day when Izuna confessed his love for Tobirama. It took forever for Uncle Tobi to admit he actually _didn't_ hate Izuna and Uncle Zuzu kept pestering him in his own way until Tobirama had no choice but to accept his proposal. Those were a long and interesting three years, or at least that's what Daddy said."

"So Tobirama married another man…and had kids as well? How?"

"I don't really understand it that well myself. I know he used a jutsu and it was intended for Izuna. Unfortunately for him, it didn't work out that way."

"Meaning?"

"Another long story short, Tobirama became a mother to two kids: Kazuki and Yuko. He originally hated the fact he inadvertently thrusted himself into such a position, but then…_that_ day happened."

Tsunade was silent, waiting for Izumi to continue. Izumi felt guilt return to her, remembering that day clearly even though it had happened a decade ago. Hatred for the two Kumo shinobi who caused it burned in her chest, but she kept her rage in check.

"He almost lost Kazuki that day. He would have if he didn't realize exactly how much the baby truly meant to him and did what he could to save his son. After that day, I think he finally understood what it meant to be a mother. Kazuki was born premature and, because of that day he almost lost him, Uncle Tobi is extremely protective of him. And Kazuki still doesn't know about any of this…"

"I see…And from the sound of things, your cousins are somewhere out there as well? What are they like?"

"Kazuki might as well be his mother's carbon copy in terms of personality, if a bit more expressive of his emotions," Izumi giggled, beaming at the thought of her cousins. "As for Yuko, she is such a _cutie_! It still makes a lot of people question how a grump like Tobirama could ever spawn such a little ball of sunshine."

Tsunade smiled. "You have Ojii-sama's smile. I can see the resemblance now."

Izumi blushed, looking at the ground to avoid eye contact with the Godaime. Tsunade stood up from her chair and walked over to the teenager. Izumi unintentionally focused on the woman's huge knockers, feeling extremely self-conscious of her own figure for a brief moment. She felt a hand being placed on her head, causing her to look up at the powerful kunoichi before her. Tsunade no longer had an oppressive air about her. It had calmed down to a welcoming atmosphere, as if she was greeting someone she hadn't seen in a long time.

"You've been handling this massive change so well. I'm sorry that not everything here is the way you wish it to be. But because of you, I feel like I can see things in a different light now."

Izumi blinked in confusion. "How so, Lady Tsunade?"

"Izumi, tell me about your mother. About the real Madara that no one in this entire village ever truly knew."

Izumi could feel a sense of disbelief and excitement drape over her. She nodded and began animatedly telling her fellow Senju everything she knew about her mother; one of her most precious people she would willingly give her life for. The more she spoke about Madara, the realization that she might be separated from her mother forever hit her harder. By the end of her story, she was weeping uncontrollably and reduced to feeling like a lost and helpless child. Tsunade comforted her, drying her tears in the same exact manner her father would. Through her tears, she began telling the Hokage more about her home. She spoke of her friends and teammates, her dreams, and her exploits. Tsunade listened to it all. Then came the inevitable question that she knew Tsunade would ask.

"Why do you wear bandages around your arms like that?"

Izumi was quiet, feeling that showing the woman her scars would be better than words. Unwrapping the bandages, she revealed the old burn scars. Even though they had faded somewhat, they were still visibly revolting. Tsunade narrowed her eyes, knowing exactly what could cause injuries like those. Izumi misinterpreted the look, thinking the woman was angry at whoever caused the injuries.

"Don't tell anyone this, but these aren't normal scars," Izumi explained as she began rewrapping her arms. "I got them when I was a child. It was an accident."

"An accident?"

"This is an S-ranked secret. Only the higher ups in the village know about it. Since you're the current Hokage, I figured it'd be okay to tell you. Just don't hate him for the duty he chose to take on to protect the village."

"What are you trying to say?"

"My mother is more than just a skilled shinobi and a loving husband. He's a container for the Nine-Tails."

"Madara? The Nine-Tails' jinchuriki?" Tsunade repeated in shock. Izumi nodded. "That's…unbelievable."

"Most of those who know about it see him as the fox instead of a person. Only a select few see him as the guard rather than the monster he keeps caged inside. My family is the few. To him, they're the ones that truly matter."

Tsunade was quiet, thinking about everything she had heard from the girl. She remembered that her grandfather never spoke ill of Madara. He would tell her about the many adventures they had in their childhood before the clan wars tore them apart. Her father told her not to listen to the ramblings of an old man that didn't know better. Madara was still a traitor and should be despised because he tried to destroy their home. Tobirama had hammered that idea into her just as much as her father did. However, deep down, a small part of her soul believed her grandfather's words. Why would he speak anything but the truth?

It was unbelievable such a world could possibly exist and that this girl and her brothers came from that world. But after hearing Izumi speak about Madara in the exact same way Hashirama did…it finally hit the nail right into her head. This girl was Hashirama and _Madara's_ child. She and her family members were lost in a world that had turned for the worse for their parents, and even their parents weren't their parents in this world. Knowing their existence never happened and the people most precious to them met such horrible ends; Tsunade couldn't imagine what the emotional struggle was like.

"Lady Tsunade? Is it alright if my brothers and I see the village? If we're going to be staying here, we'll need to see exactly how much everything has changed."

"I can allow that. Just don't say anything about who you really are just yet."

"Thank you. We'll repay you somehow, Hokage-sama."

"All three of you are established shinobi, are you not? You can take missions like the rest of the chunin and jounin once you've proven your worth."

Izumi laughed nervously. That didn't sound good. "How do we prove ourselves?"

"I'll assign you some opponents to test your skills later today. I'll figure out what to do with you three afterwards."

As nice as she was earlier, Tsunade was serious about her order. Izumi paled, thinking about possible failure and being put under lockdown out of fear that one of them might become the next Madara Uchiha. The batshit crazy gene gets carried down, as some village idiots who hated her mother would say. As soon as she exited the room, she immediately grabbed her brothers and headed towards the outskirts of town. She had seen it as they traveled through the village. She had hoped Tsunade's words were not true. Whatever they had been expecting when they first arrived in this skewed time period, it didn't compare to the sight that stood before them.

Silence. That was one word that should never be in her association with the Uchiha district. Where there was once a bustling street littered with the Uchiha born and Uchiha married citizens was replaced by a horrid shell of what it once was. The houses that were called home to many families were empty and falling apart to the inevitability of time. It was nothing like the proud district Izumi and her brothers grew up in. It wasn't anything anymore.

Izumi felt as if a boa constrictor weighing thousands of pounds settled in her chest and wrapped around her heart, gradually squeezing the life from it. If there was ever a time that the sixteen-year-old wished she couldn't see, this was it. She never wanted see her clan's district turned into this hollowed hell. The overbearing atmosphere and the dead silence had driven a kunai through all of their hearts. The cold reality that their once great clan had been exterminated in a single night settled in. Akio dropped to his knees and began to cry. Ryo noticed his distressed brother, kneeling down and placing a hand on Akio's shoulder in order to comfort him.

"I hate this!" Akio wailed. "I wanna go home!"

"We _are_ home…That's what makes this nightmare scary."

"No it's not, Ryo! Home is more than just the village and the clan districts. Home is where you're with people who care about you. Mom and Daddy, even Uncle Tobi and Uncle Zuzu…they're gone. That means our home is gone too."

"Shut up, Akio…" Ryo growled, fighting back tears of his own. "You damn crybaby. Shinobi don't show their tears. It's a weakness."

"Come here you two," Izumi said softly, ushering them towards one of the vacant houses. She sat down between them on the porch, wrapping her arms around them. "We still have each other. We're not totally alone."

"But…"

"No 'buts', Ryo. If you need to cry, you can. I won't tell anyone."

Ryo huffed, trying to act strong by hiding his tear-filled eyes. Izumi held her brothers a little closer and began singing softly. Akio laid his head down on Izumi's leg, his rampant emotions slowly calming down as he listened to his sister's voice. His eyes drooped despite his desire to stay awake. He always had a bad habit of falling asleep to that song. Ryo soon copied him, finally letting a few mutinous tears slide down his face.

Izumi sighed, rubbing Ryo's arm to hopefully soothe him into a comfortable sleep as well. She wished she could do the same. But she was the eldest and she had to remain strong for her brothers. She had to be the adult, even though she was still a child herself. She took a few deep breaths, trying to compose herself. She had been on the verge of breaking down again, but she knew her mother would have scolded her for showing such weakness. She ruefully smiled, thinking that being reprimanded wasn't so bad a punishment anymore. At least Madara would have been there.

"Are you alright?"

Izumi snapped her head up, Sharingan activated. She blinked when she saw Naruto there, giving her a sympathetic look. She deactivated her kekkei genkai, letting out a depressed moan.

"No…Not really…" she answered. "I'm honestly still in denial about this whole mess."

"Because of what Granny and Captain Yamato said?"

"Yeah…"

"So what did you do? I've never seen anyone conk out that fast before. Or do your bros just get bored easily?"

"Just a lullaby our mother used to sing for us when we were very young. He doesn't do it anymore since we're too old now, but it still reminds us of home; and in turn, him. Even as babies, these two would be out like a light once they heard it. It's my secret weapon when I need them to calm down."

"Your mom must be a great person."

"To us, he _is_ the greatest person in the world. He has always cared about his family. He's been an inspiration for me ever since I was little. He's one of the strongest people I know, both in mind and body. He's all of that and more to us. That's why I refuse to believe anyone who says he was an evil monster."

"Don't worry. I believe you."

She narrowed her eyes. "Don't lie to me. You're just saying that in a pitiful attempt to make me feel better. Deep down, you hate him too."

"No really! I believe you!"

Izumi took a moment to focus on the sapphire orbs before her. She didn't see any deception in their depths; just sincerity. She felt a little better, knowing that the boy before her wasn't lying. She gave him a small smile.

"Nice to know you care," she said.

"So what's your mom like?"

"Well…loving is the best word I can use to describe him. Even when Daddy pisses him off or if we do something to upset him, he still loves us for all we are. He cares about the village and he cares about Uchiha Clan like a true leader should."

"Granny said he was a legend, right? So exactly how strong was he compared to Old Man First?"

"Well, Daddy is stronger by far. But despite that, Mom is no pushover either. They've both been described as gods of shinobi since no one has ever come close to the level of power they have."

"…Do you miss them?"

"…I feel guilty for saying it, but…yes. I do," she reluctantly admitted. She lowered her head in shame. "I'm pathetic. It hasn't even been a few hours, yet it feels like it's been days since I last saw them. I'm not a whiny child anymore. I shouldn't be acting in such a deplorable manner."

"Your name's Izumi, right? I'm gonna help you get home! Believe it!"

She blinked stupidly at the bold declaration. "Come again?"

Naruto gave her a thumbs-up and grinned, showing off a pearly white smile. "After all, I'm sure your parents are missing you too! Don't want them to worry too much, right?"

"…Right."

He grabbed her wrist, startling her while pulling her up and disturbing the twins from their nap. "Come on! I'll show you around."

"But—"

"There's no need for any of you to be depressed. Konoha is still your home and there are good people here you can trust. Believe it!"

"Do we have to walk _now_?" Ryo groaned, turning his back towards the rambunctious blonde.

"Five more minutes…" Akio mumbled.

"NOW!" Naruto yelled, this time his loud voice waking the boys up fully. "Get your butts moving! We got a whole village to tour!"

"Why are you being so nice?" Izumi asked, curious as to why Naruto had taken a sudden interest in them when before he wanted nothing more than to turn them in.

A sudden seriousness befell the blonde. "I know what you guys are going through. To be judged just because people associate you with something they don't like…it isn't right. And I don't want you to think you have to go through this mess alone. Believe me, I've been there too."

"…How could anyone hate you? What you're doing right now tells me you've got a good heart, even if you are a bit brash."

"Did Granny tell you about the _incident_ fifteen years ago?"

"As in the thing about the Nine-Tails attacking the village and the Yondaime saving everyone?"

"I was born that day."

"Why's that such a bad thing?"

"Let's just say they associate me with the fox."

Izumi fumed. "Are you _kidding_ me!? The sheer stupidity of humanity never ceases to amaze me! First it was Mom. Now people are blaming someone completely innocent for their problems!? What is this life coming to!?"

"Don't worry about it!" Naruto cheerfully waved her off. "It doesn't bother me anymore and you shouldn't let anyone's opinions about your family bother you either. You just gotta prove to them that they're wrong."

"How do we do that?" Akio piped up, still half-asleep.

"I've never been good at that kind of crap and I'm not starting now!" Naruto laughed. "I'm sure you'll figure out something."

* * *

Several hours and two whiny Uchiha boys later, Naruto had shown the trio around Konoha. One wouldn't have thought it based on how Naruto acted, but he was quite knowledgeable of most of the places they had been. He must have had good teachers, Izumi thought. Either that or he got around a lot and learned on his own.

They were currently at a stand called Ichiraku Ramen and Naruto had generously paid for their meals. Ichiraku's had the best ramen in town according to the blonde. Izumi agreed with him as soon as she tasted her miso ramen. It was like her taste buds tasted a bit of heaven in every bite of those delicious and perfectly formed ingredients.

"Thank you for the food, Naruto!" Akio said with a bow after he had finished his food. "That was probably the second-best bowl of ramen I've ever had."

Naruto spat his broth out in shock. What sorcery was _this_!?He turned towards the younger twin, astonished by such words. He was about to voice his disbelief aloud, but someone else beat him to it.

"What sacrilege is _this_!? No one can beat Teuchi-san's expert skills in the art of ramen making!"

The three Uchiha stared at the newcomer. He was…_big_. Izumi noted the traditional face markings and the kanji for "food" on his breastplate. It was obvious he was an Akimichi. She then noted the other two with the Akimichi. One looked bored out of his mind while the girl was berating the Akimichi for his outburst. She spotted one last person behind them, standing outside the stand. He was an adult smoking a cigarette, presumably their jounin sensei judging by the matching silver earrings they all had.

"I'm s-s-s-sorry, sir!" Akio apologized, fearing for his life. "Don't kill me! It's just that I like my Uncle Tobi's ramen more!"

"Bro, relax. He's an Akimichi. You can handle him. He's mostly just fa—"

A hand covered Ryo's mouth. Ryo spotted that it was the pineapple head who was the owner. He gave a serious look at the elder twin, causing Ryo to feel nervous.

"Don't say the forbidden word. The result will be troublesome," he stated before he removed his hand.

Ryo gulped. "Got it…"

"Ignore them," Izumi said to the group as they all took their seats and ordered their meals. "They're still a couple of brats, so don't take anything they say too seriously."

"HEY!" was the simultaneous outcry from the twins.

The blonde girl winked at Naruto. "So, Naruto; who's your girlfriend?"

This time, Izumi was the one who spat out her broth. She immediately glared at the other girl, though a slight blush tinted her cheeks. "I'm _not_ his girlfriend!"

"That's a good thing," the bored one muttered. "You'd have to be a saint to deal with that troublesome knucklehead every day."

"At least life wouldn't be boring," Izumi noted, thinking about Naruto's eccentric attitude. "Anyway, who are you all? We're new in town and Naruto's been showing us around."

"I'm Ino Yamanaka," the girl introduced herself. She then pointed to the guys. "These two idiots are Chouji Akimichi and Shikamaru Nara. And that's our sensei, Asuma Sarutobi."

Izumi perked up at the name. "Sarutobi? As in he's related to the Sarutobi Clan?"

"That's right," Chouji confirmed between bites of ramen. "He's the son of the late Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi."

Izumi paled and her siblings quickly noticed her discomfort. They all had known Hiruzen since they were young. He was like a brother to all of them. To learn that brother had died was another unforgiving blow towards their already shattered world.

"_Hiruzen too, huh?_" Izumi thought morosely. "_At least he achieved his dream of becoming Hokage…and he even found love. I wonder if everyone else is with him too. Kagami, Homura, Koharu, Danzo…_"

"Are you alright?" Ino asked, having noticed the sudden depression in the air.

Izumi slowly nodded. "Yeah. We're just sad to hear that he's gone. He was a good person…"

"Dang it, Ino!" shouted Naruto. "You made Izumi depressed all over again! Now I gotta start back at square one!"

Shikamaru blinked, taking _slightly_ more interest in the troublesome conversation. "Did something happen?"

"We lost everything," was the cold answer Izumi gave. "Now we have to pick up the pieces and move on, if we can."

"…I'm so sorry," Ino apologized.

"It's alright. You couldn't have known. I'm just glad we've been lucky with meeting nice people like Naruto."

"Who else have you met so far?"

"Just the four of you."

"You know, there are more of us. If you want, I can introduce you to the rest of the girls. You'll fit right in!"

"But I can't just leave Ryo and Akio—"

"Shikamaru and Chouji can handle them. Isn't that right, guys?"

"I didn't sign up for this," Shikamaru complained, narrowing his eyes at Ino.

"You hate us that much?"

Shikamaru looked at the young face that was staring at him. The one with bi-colored hair was the one who spoke and was currently giving him a pitiful look. He looked like a lost child who was being abandoned by someone he cared about.

He groaned at his luck. "Fine. I'll do it. But it's going to be such a drag."

"If you constantly act like that, it will be," quipped Ryo. He looked to Chouji. "Does he always act like this?"

"Pretty much. Actually, I think it's a Nara Clan trait," Chouji answered. "He's a good guy though. Don't let his 'troublesome' attitude bother you too much."

"That'll be the day; Ryo actually _not_ getting pissed off by something that bothers him," Akio mused. Ryo responded by shoving Akio off his seat.

Izumi observed the strange group they all had formed. One wouldn't think any of them were friends judging by their clashing personalities. It reminded her of how her family got along despite the sheer difference in personalities they had. She let out an inaudible sigh.

Everything she looked at reminded her of a home that ceased to exist.


End file.
